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i^"  IIYERSITY  OF  VERMONT 

AND  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


VERMONT  AGRICULTURAL 

EXPERIMENT  STATION 


BURLINGTON,  VT. 


BULLETIN  NO.   146 

NOVEMBER,    1909 


The  Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade 
in  Vermont  in   I907-I909 


<30VERMMENT  PUBLICATIONS 

burlington :  receivep^ 

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VVILBUR  CROSS  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CONNECTICUT 

ATE 


BOARD  OF  CONTROL 

Pres.  M.  H.  BUCKHAM,  ex-offldo,   Burlington. 
Hon.  E.  J.  ORMSBEE,  Brandon. 
Hon.  CASSIUS  PECK,  Burlington. 
Hon.  G.  S.  FASSETT,  Enosburgh. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  STATION 

J.   L.   HILLS,   Director. 

L.  R.  JONES,  Botanist. 

F.  A.  RICH,  Veterinarian. 

CASSIUS    PECK,    Farm    Superintendent. 

C.  H.  JONES,  Chemist. 

R.  M.  WASHBURN,  Dairy  Husbandman. 

A.  F.   HAWES,    (State   Forester),   Forester. 
H.    A.    EDSON,    Bacteriologist. 

M.  B.  CUMMINGS,  Horticulturist. 

B.  F.  LUTMAN,  Assistant  Botanist. 
P.  A.  BENEDICT,  Assistant  Chemist. 
JENNIE  L.  ROWELL,  Assistant  Chemist. 

J.   W.   WELLINGTON,   Assistant   Horticulturist. 
W.  F.  HAMMOND,  Expert  in  Horse  Breeding.* 
STANLEY  HARGREAVES,  Gardener. 
MARY  E.  PATTRIDGE,  Stenographer. 
INA  RAND,  Stenographer. 

C.  P.  SMITH,  Treasurer. 


«®"Copies  of  the  reports  and  bulletins  of  the  Station  are  sent 
free  of  charge  to  any  address  upon  application. 

^S'Address  all  communications,  not  to  individual  oflBcers,  but  to 
the  Experiment  Station,  Burlington,  Vt. 

Director's  and  State  Forester's  ofBces,  chemical,  horticultural  and 
dairy  laboratories  are  in  Morrill  Hall  at  the  head  of  Main  street; 
botanical  and  bacteriological  laboratories  are  at  Williams  Science  Hall, 
University  Place;   vetei'inary  laboratories  at  499  Main  Street. 

Experiment  farm  and  buildings  are  on  the  Williston  road,  adjoin- 
ing the  University  grounds  on  the  east. 


•In  cooperation  with  Bu.  An.   Ind.,  U.  S.  Dept.  Agr. 


BULLETIN  146:    THE  GRASS  AND  CLOVER  SEED  TRADE  IN  VER- 
MONT IN  1907-1909 

By  George  T.  Harrington 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Introduction    204 

Summary    205 

Previous  seed  studies   206 

Good  commercial  seed  defined    206 

Seed  of  desired  kind  207 

Purity ;  freedom  from  weed  seeds  208 

Germinability  and  growth   208 

The  weed  problem    209 

Methods  and  limitations  of  seed  control  in  Vermont 212 

False  economy  of  low  grade  seed  purchase 213 

Results  of  inspection    216 

Tabular  matter   218-226 

Timothy 218 

Red  and  alsike  clover    222 

Miscellaneous   seed    226 

1  Timothy 217 

2  Red  clover 228 

3  Alsike  clover    230 

4  Miscellaneous   seed    232 

Whence  come  the  weed  seeds  234 

Vermont's  worst  weeds  in   1909    237 

Vermont's  worst  weeds  in   1872,   1891   and   1898,  compared 

with  those  of   1909   238 

The  newer  weed  invasions  239 


•m 


INTRODUCTION 

The  author  of  this  bulletin-a  graduate  of  the  Agricultural 
Department  of  the  University  in  the  class  of  1909,  and  now  em- 
ployed in  the  seed  laboratory  of  the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  o 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture-made  a  study  of 
the  grass  and  clover  seed  trade  of  Vermont  as  it  has  obtamed  dur- 
ing recent  vears,  submitting  the  results  thereof  in  the  form  of  the 
senior  thesis  which  is  a  regular  pre-requisite  of  graduation.     This 
bulletin  is  an  abstract  therefrom.     Another  graduate  of  the  same 
class,  Miss  Alma  L.  Carpenter,  studied  the  history  of  the  grass 
and  clover  seed  industry  of  the  United  States,  presenting  this 
as  her  senior  graduating  thesis.     Her  survey  of  this  matter  is 
now  being  worked  over  with  a  view  of  issuing  it  as  a  bulletin 
from  the  office  of  the  State  Commissioner  of  Agriculture.     These 
two  bulletins  will  supplement  each  other.     Arrangements  have 
been  made  whereby  the  latter  bulletin  issued  by  the  Commissioner^ 
will  be  sent  to  the  entire  Vermont  station  mailing  list. 

Joseph  L.  Hiu.s,  Director. 


SUMMARY 

Good  seed  should  be  true  to  name,  reasonably  pure  and 
free  from  foreign  matter,  particularly  weed  seeds,  and  should 
germinate  well  and  grow  vigorously. 

Seed  control  in  the  United  States  is  of  two  sorts;  the 
regular  inspection  of  the  trade  under  station  auspices,  which 
obtains  in  a  few  states  and  in  Canada,  and  the  sporadic  testing 
of  samples  submitted  by  interested  parties,  buyers  or  pur- 
chasers. The  latter  method  is  the  one  now  in  vogue  in  Ver- 
mont. 

A  survey  of  131  samples  sent  on  for  examination  during 
the  past  three  seasons  indicates  that; 

1.  The  timothy  seed  was  usually  of  good  grade  carrying 
normally  but  few  weed  seeds;  that 

2.  The  red  clover  seed  samples  varied  widely  in  quality 
and  showed  a  much  lower  average  than  did  the  timothy,  many 
lots  being  very  poor  and  some  execrable  as  regards  their 
weed  seed  contents;  that 

3.  The  alsike  clover  samples  were  highly  variable  in 
quality,  none  being  as  good  as  were  some  red  clover  samples 
and  none  as  poor  as  were  some  of  the  red  clovers. 

The  relationship  of  the  trade  in  clover  seed  to  the  Ver- 
mont weed  flora,  both  old  and  new,  is  pointed  out,  as  well  as 
the  fact  that  legal  enactment  in  other  states,  and  particularly 
in  Canada,  tends  to  flood  with  low  grade  seeds  other  states 
in  which  no  such  enactments  exist. 


206  Bulletin   146 

previous  seed  studies 

For  twenty  years  the  Vermont  station  has  undertaken  to 
analyze  samples  of  grass  and  clover  seeds  sent  by  purchasers  or 
dealers  vi'ithin  the  state,  and  to  determine  their  purity  with  special 
reference  to  their  weed  seed  content.  It  has  furthermore  made 
one  quite  systematic  inspection  of  the  trade  in  this  commodity  as 
well  as  two  briefer  studies.^  Similar  work,  often  of  greater 
volume,  has  been  done  at  many  other  stations  as  well  as  by  the 
National  Department,  using  either  seeds  forwarded  by  interested 
parties  or  those  inspected  in  the  open  market.  As  a  result  there 
now  obtains  among  the  better  informed  farmers  and  seed  dealers 
a  clearer  appreciation  of  the  inferiority  of  poor  seed,  a  better 
understanding  of  those  qualities  which  collectively  characterize 
good  seed,  and  a  more  general  and  intelligent  knowledge  of  the 
relationship  between  the  character  of  the  seed  sown  and  the  weed 
problem. 

It  is  the  primary  purpose  of  this  bulletin  to  present  and 
briefly  to  discuss  the  results  of  seed  tests  made  at  this  Station 
since  1907,  and  to  review  the  concurrent  trade  conditions.  In- 
cidentally are  pointed  out  the  reasons  for  and  the  necessity  of  such 
means  of  seed  control  as  may  afford  buyers  reliable  information 
as  to  purity  and  comparative  values.  Furthermore  and  finally, 
the  limitations  of  the  present  situation  as  to  seed  sales  as  they 
obtain  in  Vermont  are  cited,  and  the  results  compared  with  those 
attained  in  other  states  and  countries  where  efficient  seed  control 
measures  are  enforced. 

GOOD    COMMERCIAL    SEED    DEFINED 

Good  seed  should  be: 
(i).     Of  the  kind  and  variety  desired. 

(2).  Reasonably  pure  and  reasonably  free  from  foreign 
material. 

(3).     Capable  of  germinating  well  and  growing  vigorously. 

^Vt.  Sta.  Rpt.  11,  pages  229-234  (1898);  Rpt.  13,  pages  287-299 
(1900);    Rpt.  17,  pages  402-417    (1904). 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  207 

( I ) .  Seed  of  the  desired  kind  and  variety. — The  importance 
of  this  matter  is  obvious.  The  buyer  of  clover  seed  cavils  at  the 
presence  of  material  amounts  of  timothy  which  costs  but  half 
its  price ;  and  he  who  seeds  down  for  market  hay,  using-  timothy 
as  he  should,  decries  an  admixture  of  clover  seed  even  though  the 
latter  is  the  more  costly,  because  the  presence  of  clover  lowers  the 
selling,  price  of  the  hay.  Kentucky  blue  grass  is  prized  as  the 
finest  grass  for  lawns  and  pastures.  A  relatively  high  price 
being  asked  for  genuine  seed,  it  is  often  sophisticated,  Canada 
blue  grass  (Poa  compressa),  an  almost  worthless  species,  being 
substituted  in  part  or  wholly  therefor.  Perhaps  no  other  ex- 
ample could  be  cited  which  so  well  illustrates  the  necessity  of 
careful  expert  examination.  The  distinctive  characteristics  of 
Kentucky  and  of  Canada  blue  grass  seed  are  sufficiently  marked 
to  admit  of  their  certain  identification  by  a  trained  analyst ;  yet 
the  two  are  sufficiently  alike  and  their  distinctive  characteristics 
are  so  apt  to  be  overlooked,  that  the  scrutiny  of  the  ordinary 
purchaser  or  dealer  does  not  detect  substitution  or  sophistication. 
Roberts  and  Freeman^  say  that  "while  the  ordinary  observer  can 
readily  be  taught  to  distinguish  Canada  blue  grass  from  Kentucky 
blue  grass  in  the  field,  the  writers  know  of  no  really  effective 
and  satisfactory  way  of  distinguishing  the  commercial  seed  of  the 
two  species  that  can  be  used  by  the  ordinary  purchaser.  It  re- 
mains in  their  judgment  absolutely  a  question  for  the  expert." 
Other  common  adulterants  in  commercial  seed  are : 

Redtop  chaff  in  Kentucky  blue  grass ;  Italian  rye  grass 
in  orchard  grass ;  rye  grass  in  meadow  fescue ;  bur  clover 
and  yellow  trefoil  in  alfalfa ;  sweet  clover  and  yellow 
trefoil  in  red  clover.  The  certain  detection  of  any  of  these 
admixtures  necessitates  expert  observation.  Unfortunately 
no  method  has  been  discovered  save  that  of  actual  growth 
trials  to  distinguish  from  each  other  the  seeds  of  many  of 
the  varieties  of  a  single  species,  or  in  some  cases  to  distinguish 


>Kans.  Sta.  Bui.  141,  p.  108   (1907). 


208  Bull]i:tin  146 

the  seeds  of  separate  species;  as  for  example  mammoth  clover 
(TrifoHum  medium)  from  common  red  clover  (Trifolium  pra- 
tense). 

(2).     Purity;  freedom  from  foreign  matter. — Three  items 
are    important    in    this    connection;    the    determination    of    the 
presence,  the  absence,  or  the  relative  abundance  of : 
(a).     "Inert  matter"  (chaff,  sticks,  pebbles,  etc.) 
(b).     "Foreign  seeds"  (i.  e.,  other  than  of  the  kind  bought), 
(c).     "Pure  seed"  (actual  kind  bought). 
The  determination  of  these  three  items  indicates  the  purity  of  the 
sample.     The   foreign   seed   content   is   usually    subdivided   into 
"weed  seeds/'  or  "noxious  seeds,"  and  "harmless  seeds,"  the  kinds 
and  numbers  of  each  per  pound  being  specified.^ 

(3).  Germinability  and  grozuth. — Quite  as  important  as  the 
purity  of  the  seed  supply  is  its  germinating  power,  its  abihty, 
when  properly  sown  in  a  well  tilled  field,  to  produce  an  adequate 
growth.  Of  two  lots  of  clover;  one  composed  of  90  percent 
pure  seed,  nine-tenths  of  which  is  germinable  and  10  percent  of 
which  is  made  up  of  harmless  chaff,  etc. ;  the  other  composed  of 
100  percent  pure  seed,  half  of  which  is  incapable  of  germination ; 
the  former,  impure  sample  is  to  be  prefered  for  the  reason  that  it 
furnishes  81  pounds  of  germinable  seed  as  against  50  pounds; 
that  it  furnishes  potentially  a  crop  larger  by  62  percent ;  that  it 
is  worth  16  cents  a  pound  where  the  second  grade  is  worth  10 
cents.  Of  course  this  argument  holds  only  if  the  impurity  is  of 
a  harmless  character. 

Buyers  are  apt  to  judge  the  quality,  probable  germination  and 
growth  of  their  purchases  by  color  and  appearance.  Doubtless 
fairly  reliable  indications  are  often  thus  furnished ;  yet  only  actual 
germination  tests  afford  absolute  certainty.  This  fact  is  well 
illustrated  by  occasional  lots  of  fine  appearing  red  clover  seed 
which  may  contain  as  much  as  40  percent  of  the  so-called  "hard 
seed."     The  outer  seed  covering  of  this  "hard  seed"  is  so  in- 


»See  pages  218-219  and  comments  thereon. 


Grass  and  Clover  SttD  Trade  in  Vermont  209 

durated  as  to  retard  the  imbibation  of  water;  hence  it  lies  in  the 
soil  for  months  or  years  without  change  and  consequently  has 
relatively  low  agricultural  values.^ 

In  selecting  seed,  not  only  these  three  points  above  men- 
tioned should  be  kept  in  mind,  that  is  to  say  the  proportion  of 
actual  seed  true  to  name,  its  germinating  powers  and  the  purity 
and  freedom  from  weed  seeds,  but  also  a  fourth,  viz.,  the  "actual 
value"  bought  for  a  given  price.  The  weight  of  true  clover  seed 
capable  of  germination  bought  for  a  dollar  rather  than  the  pounds 
of  more  or  less  pure  seed  purchased  for  that  price  should  be  the 
criterion.  According  to  this  measure  a  relatively  costly  seed 
may  prove  the  cheapest.  Yet  one  should  not  fail  to  remember 
that  the  financial  measure  is  not  the  sole  standard  by  which  one 
should  determine  purchase.  One  should  not  buy  seed,  even 
though  the  price  is  reasonable  and  its  germinating  powers  good,  if 
it  contains  any  material  number  of  weed  seeds. 

THE  WEED  problem 

Seed  purity  and  germinability  are  important ;  yet  the  control 
of  the  weed  seed  situation  is  more  so.  Foreign,  harmless  seeds 
cause  some  slight  loss,  but  weed  seed  admixtures  are  pestiferous. 
So  many  kinds  and  in  such  numbers  occur  in  some  poorly  cleaned 
commercial  seeds  as  to  constitute  at  once  a  menace  to  good 
farming  and  a  justification  of  the  institution  of  a  seed  control. 
The  use  of  seed  of  low  germinating  powers,  of  weak  growth,  or 
laden  with  inert  matter,  damages  the  one  individual  for  one  year 
and  one  crop.  Not  so  with  the  use  of  the  weed  laden  seed,  for, 
generally  speaking,  the  weed  seeds  thus  sown  are  those  which 
have  matured  at  the  same  time  as  or  slightly  before  the  crop 
seed,  and,  being-  planted  therewith,  they  are  apt  to  continue  so 
to  do.  Every  weed  in  the  meadow  occupies  the  room  which 
should  be  utilized  by  a  more  nutritious  and  palatable  plant.     It 


^Nobbe  has  shown  that  certain  samples  of  red  clover  seed  after 
26  years'  immersion  in  water  still  maintained  their  relatively  hard 
character. 


210  BuLIvETiN    146 

appropriates  to  itself  the  plant  food  and  moisture  which  other- 
wise would  be  available  to  crop  growth.  If  it  matures  seed,  its 
power  for  evil  during  succeeding  years  is  multiplied  indefinitely, 
both  to  the  home  farm  and  to  the  neighborhood,  if  the  seed  are 
of  the  sort  which  are  carried  by  winds,  birds  or  otherwise. 

Weeds  propagated  by  underground  stems  or  rhizomes,  such 
for  example,  as  quack  grass  or  witch  grass^  and  orange  hawk- 
weed  or  paintbrush^  are  peculiarly  apt  to  increase  their  ability 
to  do  harm.  The  persistence  of  witch  grass  and  its  rapid  spread 
are  the  despair  of  the  Vermont  farmer ;  and  the  rapid  spread  of 
the  hawk  weed  or  paintbrush  by  means  of  a  wind  blown  seed 
has  carried  it  within  a  score  of  years  to  almost  every  part  of  the 
state.^ 

Weeds  are  not  the  private  problem  of  the  individual ;  they 
are  a  public  nuisance,  the  control  of  which  concerns  all  mankind 
and  not  the  intelligent  husbandman  alone.  Though  other  avenues 
of  introduction  exist — railroads,  escaped  ornamentals,  etc. — the 
two  means  whereby  most  of  the  new  weeds  gain  entrance  and 
old  weeds  become  more  widely  distributed,  are  commercial 
seeds  of  poor  quality,  and  certain  commercial  feeding  stuffs  which 
carry  unground  or  untreated  screenings  from  flour  mills  and  from 
the  seed  screening  machines.  The  commercial  seed  inlet  ad- 
mits the  greater  number.  All  farmers  must  needs  use  seed, 
whereas  they  need  not  use  feeding  stuffs  which  are  under  sus- 
picion. Furthermore,  the  feeding  stuffs  inspection  has  served, 
to  some  extent  at  least,  to  point  out  the  sinners  among  feeds, 
whereas  no  such  system  is  in  vogue  as  to  the  seed  trade.  The 
relationship  of  the  feed  supply  to  this  situation  will  not  be  fur- 
ther discussed  in  this  bulletin,  as  it  has  been  reviewed  in  detail 
in  previous  issues  (bulletins  131,  133,  138,  144). 


*This  station  will  shortly  publish  a  bulletin,  No.  149,  dealing  with 
a  satisfactory  method  of  combatting  witch  grass. 

^^See  Vt.  Sta.  Bui.  56  (1896). 

'See  in  this  connection  the  comparatively  small  area  in  Vermont 
seriously  infested  in  1896,  as  indicated  in  bulletin  56. 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  211 

SEED  control 

It  is  evident  from  what  has  been  said,  and  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  few  men  are  able  to  judge  intelHgently  of  the  com- 
parative merits  of  seeds,  that  vigilance  is  needed  to  minimize  the 
weed  seed  distribution  due  to  the  use  of  commercial  seeds.  Herein 
lies  the  value  of  systematic  seed  control.  In  most  European 
countries  this  need  has  given  rise  to  a  well  regulated  system, 
whereby  seed  dealers  voluntarily  place  themselves  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  seed  testing  stations,  guaranteeing  their  products, 
using  station  tests  as  the  basis  therefor,  and  submitting  questions 
arising  under  this  system  to  the  decision  of  the  station  as  arbiter. 
Several  of  the  stations  in  this  country  make  free  analyses  of 
seed  samples  sent  them  for  that  purpose  by  purchasers  or  dealers. 
In  a  few  of  the  states  (Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Connecticut, 
Kentucky,  Iowa  and  perhaps  others)  more  or  less  efficient  laws 
are  in  force  providing  for  systematic  seed  inspection,  the 
aim  of  which  is  to  control  the  local  seed  trade.  The 
seed  control  act  of  Canada,  passed  in  1906,  fixed  stand- 
ards for  timothy,  red  and  alsike  clovers  or  their  mixtures, 
sold  as  first  quality.  These  must  not  only  be  of  a  pre- 
scribed purity  and  germination,  but  also  be  free  from 
specified  weed  seeds.  The  same  law  prescribes  that  certain 
weed  seeds — a  less  extensive  list — must  either  be  entirely  absent 
from  the  seeds  of  cereals,  grasses,  clovers  and  forage  plants,  or 
that  their  presence  must  be  stated  on  the  packages.  It  further 
expressly  declares,  as  do  also  the  statutes  of  certain  states  in  this 
country,  in  effect  that  "the  provisions  contained  in  this  act  shall 
not  apply  to  seeds  marked  'not  absolutely  clean'  and  held  or  sold 
for  export  only."^ 

Such  a  proviso  insures  the  exportation  of  such  inferior 
products  beyond  the  borders  of  Canada,  or  the  states  or  European 
countries  thus  protecting  themselves.  The  purveyors  of  such 
seed  will  naturally   seek  an   outside  market   for   such  of  their 

'Dom.  Can.  Dept.  Agr.  BuL  1   (revised  edition)    (1908). 


212  Bulletin   146 

wares  as  are  too  foul  for  home  sales.  Much  Canadian  rejected 
seed  has  been  sold  of  late  in  Vermont,  especially  in  1907  im- 
mediately after  the  passage  of. the  Canadian  seed  control  act. 

METHODS    AND    LIMITATIONS    Gl-.-oLED    CONTROiL    IN    VERMONT 

The  seed  control  of  Europe,  involving  voluntary  guaranties 
by  dealers,  does  not  obtain  in  America.  Two  situations  occur 
here ;  one  wherein  the  station  merely  tests  such  samples  as  are 
forwarded,  without  making  an  attempt  at  state  wide  inspection ; 
and  one  wherein  the  station  conducts  such  inspection  by  the  col- 
lection and  analysis  of  samples  drawn  in  open  market,  on  the 
strength  of  which  inspection  it  estops  illegal  sales.  There  is  no 
seed  law  on  the  statute  books  of  Vermont ;  hence  no  systematic 
work  is  done.  Under  such  circumstances  the  extent  of  the  work 
depends  upon  the  initiative  of  the  individual  farmer ;  the  respon- 
sibility is  lain  upon  the  purchaser  or  dealer.  He  who  sells  or 
buys  may,  if  he  will,  know  as  to  the  quality  of  the  particular  lot 
he  has  in  hand.  The  assurance  of  good  seed  has  thus  been 
afforded  in  multitudinous  cases,  and  the  discovery  of  that  of  in- 
ferior quality  has  also  been  made  in  many  cases.  Many  buyers 
accomplish  this  end  by  seeking  only  the  best  grades  from  reliable 
dealers ;  or  else  by  personal  examination  and  comparison  of  the 
various  grades  as  found  upon  the  market.  But  many  less 
thoughtful  buyers  on  the  contrary,  because  either  of  ignorance  or 
of  carelessness,  buy  and  sow  low  grade  seed,  large  amounts  of 
which  are  sold  within  the  state,  and  their  fields  become  both 
neighborhood  eyesores  and  neighborhood  menaces.  Against  such 
a  situation  he  who  sows  good  seed  and  strives  to  eradicate  weeds 
from  his  farm  has  neither  protection  nor  redress.  Doubtless  the 
buyers  of  the  lower  grades  rarely  appreciate  the  facts.  No  one 
deliberately  buys  weed  seeds.  The  saving  of  money,  which  is 
the  bait  put  forward  by  the  seller,  is  what  attracts.  The  deliberate 
catering  to  the  demand  for  a  low  priced  seed,  with  quality  and 
purity  a  secondary  consideration,  or  the  equally  harmful  though 
less  reprehensible  policy  of  the  purveying  of  foul  seed  through 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  213 

ignorance  or  carelessness,  alike  tend  to  spread  weeds.  The 
real  fault  lies  with  the  buyer.  If  he  get  about  it  early  enough  he 
can  determine  where  he  may  obtain  really  good  seed;  but  he 
rarely  does  this.  The  better  cHss  of  seed  dealers  prefer  to  carry 
the  higher  grades,  but  find  it  airncult  to  persuade  farmers  against 
the  false  economy  of  buying  the  lower  grades.  And  so  long  as  a 
demand  exists  for  such  it  will  be  supplied.  Per  contra,  when 
farmers  will  pay  for  better  goods,  dealers  will  gladly  carry 
them. 

The  station's  analytical  work  is  of  aid  to  the  trade  and  to 
discriminating  buyers  only  in  so  far  as  they  make  use  of  it.  Its 
limitations  and  defects  lie  in  its  necessarily  unsystematic  charac- 
ter. Without  legal  sanction  and  without  funds,  the  Station  is 
powerless  to  do  more  than  call  attention  to  its  willingness  to 
handle  samples  sent  by  individuals,  so  far  as  lies  in  its  power.^ 
Especial  attention  is  called  however  to  the  fourth  proviso  in  the 
footnote.  Samples  received  at  the  last  moment  before  seed  time, 
accompanied  by  a  request  for  a  report  "by  return  mail,"  cannot 
be^usually  handled  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  sender.  They  should 
be  sent  far  in  advance  of  the  time  of  need,  and  ample  time  allowed 
for  the  necessarily   slow  process   of  examination. 

false  economy  of  low  grade  seed  purchases 
The  following  instances  serve  to  show  the  false  economy 
of  buying  low  priced  and  inferior  seed.  Doubtless  red  clover 
is  the  foulest  seed  on  the  Vermont  market.  It  varies  most  in 
price  as  compared  with  grade,  and  represents  greater  ranges  in 
quality  than  occur  with  any  other  widely  sold  commercial  seed. 

^"Free  analytical  work  is  done  without  charge  to  the  residents  of 
the  state  if  received  not  too  frequently  from  one  individual,  provided: 
(a)  the  work  appears  to  be  of  public  benefit  and  the  results  are  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Station  to  publish  if  it  deems  advisable;  (b)  the 
samples  are  taken  in  accordance  with  directions  formulated  and  fur- 
nished by  the  Station;  (c)  the  carriage  charges  are  prepaid;  (d)  it  is 
physically  possible  to  do  the  work  within  a  reasonable  time  and  with- 
out serious  interruption  to  regular  and  stated  duties. 

Agricultural  seeds,  as  to  purity:  If  germination  tests  are  desired 
the  samples,  if  in  too  large  numbers,  may  be  declined  or  else  submitted 
to  the  Seed  Laboratory  of  the  National  Department  of  Agriculture."  Vt. 
Sta.  Circ.  3  (1909). 


214  BuivLE^TlN    146 

Moreover  its  selling  price  is  unfortunately  no  necessary  index  of 

its  'quality.     Indeed,  it  happens  not  infrequently  that  a  medium 

priced  seed  may  be  a  cleaner  and  wiser  purchase  than  is  that  of 

a  relatively  high  priced  goods.     It  is  the  quality  and  not  the 

price  that  should  be  the  criterion. 

, Sample  number ^ 

39  42  34 

True  clover   seed 58.2%  63.2%  87.4% 

Weed  and  harmless  seeds    28.9%  19.9%  4.6% 

Inert  matter  (mostly  Immature  seed)    12.9%  16.9%  8.  % 

Weed  seeds,  per  pound    49,600  36,400  15,700 

Harmless  seeds,  per  pound    160,200  98,900  15,300 

Recognized  varieties  of  weed  seeds 18  25  15 

Recognized  varieties  of  harmless  seeds....           5  4  4 

For  full  data  see  pages  222-225.     "There  are  others"   (see 

numbers  36,  40,  43,  and  others,  pages  222-223). 

In  comparison  with  these  products  of  the  seed  dealer's  art 

may  be  placed  numbers  16,  17,  and  20. 

, Sample  number ^ 

16              17  20 

True  clover  seed    99.1%        99.0%  99.2% 

Weed  and  harmless  seeds 0.1%          0.4%  0.2% 

Inert  matter   (largely  broken  seed) 0.8%          0.6%  0.6% 

Weed  seeds,  per  pound    100          1,700  300 

Harmless  seeds,  per  pound    100          4,700  600 

Recognized  varieties  of  weed  seeds 17  3 

Recognized  varieties  of  harmless  seeds ....             1                3  1 

There   are   plenty  of  others.     Good   seed   is  obtainable,   if 
wanted. 

Viewing  sample  39  in  another  way :    If  8  pounds  were  sown 
per  acre  there  would  be  thus  distributed : 

172,000  seeds  of  barn  grass   (green  foxtail) 


59,200       " 

"    sheep  sorrel 

51,200       " 

"     pigweed    (lambs'  quarters) 

28,800       " 

"     docks 

38,400       " 

"    two  varieties  of  plantain 

19,200       " 

"    sticky  cockle  (catchfly) 

28,000       " 

"     other  weeds 

396,800  weed  seeds  per  acre 
Twenty-five  thousand  weeds  per  square  rod,  plants  of  a  sort 
notoriously  well  able  to  thrive,  owing  to  their  early  and  vigorous 
growth.  Furthermore,  a  nearly  pure  stand  of  grass  or  clover 
can  more  readily  combat  a  few  weeds  than  can  less  perfect  stands 
wage  successful  war  with  considerable  numbers, 


Grass  and  Clover  Sekd  Trade:  in  Vermont  215 

A  yet  more  inferior  quality  of  seed  than  number  39  was 
recently  analyzed  at  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture. 
But  half  its  content  was  true  to  name.  It  carried  to  the  pound 
199,000  harmless  seeds  of  six  varieties  and  77,000  weed  seeds  of 
thirty  known  varieties.  The  germination  of  the  true  seed  was 
48  percent.  It  carried  at  best  not  more  than  approximately 
96,000  living  clover  seed  per  pound,  along  with  at  least  37,000 
weed  seeds  capable  of  thriving  and  nearly  100,000  of  other  and 
harmless  though  undesirable  seed. 

Goods  like  number  39  and  the  sample  just  cited  are  not 
commonly  sold  in  such  foul  condition.  They  are  usually  re- 
cleaned  by  the  wholesale  seedsman,  or  used  in  so-called  "grading 
down"  of  better  material  to  meet  market  demands  for  a  cheap 
seed.  If  recleaned,  their  power  for  evil  is  minimized.  If  used 
as  a  diluent,  their  power  for  evil  is  magnified,  for  a  noxious  seed 
is  more  largely  distributed  over  a  larger  area  and  given  ample 
opportunity  for  establishing  itself.  Much  of  the  low  grade  seed 
is  thus  graded  down,  and  is  on  that  account  more  objectionable 
than  is  a  low  grade  product  grown  in  a  given  locality  and  not 
mixed  with  seed  elsewhere  grown.  Seed  such  as  is  exemplified 
by  numbers  39,  42,  34,  or  the  department  sample,  is  much  more 
expensive  as  an  initial  purchase  than  is  seed  of  the  quality  of 
numbers  16,  17,  and  20.  That  is  to  say,  the  actual  clover  seed 
contained  in  the  poorer  quality  costs  more  than  does  that  con- 
tained in  the  better  quality.  Indeed,  one  may,  if  he  will,  close 
his  eyes  to  the  weed  seed  contents,  and  base  the  argument  solely 
on  the  clover  seed  contents  of  the  two  grades,  and  easily  prove 
the  better  to  be  the  cheaper.  Their  actual  values  may  be  deter- 
mined by  multiplying  purity  percentages  by  germination  percent- 
ages. Assuming  an  80  percent  germination  for  No.  17  (unques- 
tionably a  low  estimate)  and  for  No.  39  (doubtless  a  high  esti- 
mate, because  of  the  shrivelled  character  of  the  seed),  and  using 
the  actual  selling  prices,  20  cents  for  No.  17  and  15  cents  for 
No.  39,  the  following  data  are  obtained : 


216  Bulletin   146 

Sample  number      U.  S.  D.  A. 

17  39          sample 

Pure  seed  in  100  pounds 99  lbs.  58  lbs.         50  lbs. 

Germination    80%  80%           48% 

Germinable  clover  seed  in  100  pounds...     79  lbs.  47  lbs.         24  lbs. 

Price  per  pound   20      cts.  15     cts 

Price  per  pound  of  pure  seed 20.2  cts.  25.9  cts 

Price   per   pound   germinable   red   clover 

seed    25%  cts.  32.9  cts 

Relative   values   per   pound    20      cts.  11.9  cts.       6.1  cts. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  actual  red  clover  seed  in  number 

39  and  the  departmental  sample  was  shrivelled  and  doubtless  less 

capable  of  vigorous  growth  than  that  in  number  17,  the  above 

statement  unquestionably  overvalues  the  poorer  products. 

Results  of  Inspection 

During  the  past  three  years  131  samples  of  seed  have  been 
sent  in  for  report  as  to  purity.  Germination  tests  could  not  be 
made  for  lack  of  available  appliances.  These  receipts  consisted 
of  the  following  sorts :  Timothy  53  samples,  red  clover  43, 
alsike  clover  18,  red  top,  5,  alfalfa  3,  oats,  barley  and  Japanese 
millet,  each  2,  I^entucky  blue  grass,  orchard  grass,  Hungarian, 
each  I.  The  detailed  statement  as  to  their  purity,  the  per- 
centages of  foreign  seed  and  of  inert  matter,  and  the  numbers 
of  noxious  and  of  harmless  seed  per  pound,  with  a  statement  of 
the  numbers  of  each  species  and  of  the  general  grade  of  the  seed 
appears  on  pages  218  to  226  inclusive.  These  somewhat  formi- 
dable tables  are  discussed  on  page  217  and  on  pages  227  to  234 
inclusive.  It  is  reahzed  that  the  small  number  of  samples  tested, 
131  in  all,  is  far  from  being  representative  of  the  Vermont  trade 
in  this  important  commodity.  Yet,  since  the  samples  were  re- 
ceived from  all  sections  of  this  relatively  small  state,  it  is  thought 
that  the  results  obtained  afford  some  index  of  the  character  of  the 
trade,  and  that  they  show  the  common  purveyal  of  both  bad  and 
good  grades. 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  217 

discussion  oe  results  exhibited  in  tables  on  pages  2x8-226 

I.  Timothy  (55  samples). — As  a  whole  the  timothy  seed 
was  found  to  be  of  good  grade.  Two  lots  (No.  6  of  1907  and 
No.  191  of  1909)  carried  respectively  13,000  and  21,000  weed 
seeds  per  pound.  But  one  other  lot  (No.  119  of  1908)  carried  in 
excess  of  3,000.  In  1907  two  lots  carried  more  than  one  percent 
impurities ;  in  1908  four  lots ;  in  1909  three  lots ;  or  a  total  of 
about  one  in  six.  Only  two  lots  carried  more  than  1.4  percent 
impurities ;  but,  as  above  remarked,  these  were  bad  ones.  The 
quality  of  the  1909  goods,  so  far  as  may  be  judged  by  the  limited 
number  of  samples  inspected,  was  somewhat  inferior  to  that  of 
the  two  preceding  years.  Considerable  ergotized  seed  was  ob- 
served, however,  in  1908,  although  the  average  seed  under  survey 
that  year  showed  higher  purity  than  did  that  sold  in  either  of  the 
other  years.  An  ergotized  seed  is  undesirable  but  it  is  not  a 
serious  menace.  The  fruiting  bodies  of  ergot  grow  in  nearly  all 
fields  and  their  relative  amount  and  vigor  are  largely  dependant 
upon  meteorological  conditions.  Hence  the  use  of  an  ergotized 
seed  does  not  create  but  simply  augments  the  danger.  One  lot 
(No.  118)  contained  a  few  seed  of  field  dodder,  a  most  objec- 
tionable weed  rarely  found  in  timothy  but  all  too  common  in 
clover  and  alfalfa. 

Timothy  seed  is  commonly  marketed  in  good  condition.  The 
crop  is  usually  grown  in  pure  stand,  seeds  abundantly,  and  is 
readily  harvested,  cured,  and  cleansed.  Hence  it  is  easy  to  pro- 
duce a  high  grade  seed  at  a  low  price;  yet  farmers  and  dealers 
alike  seem  to  be  watching  the  quality  of  timothy  seed  more  care- 
fully than  that  of  any  other  crop.  This  is  doubtless  due  in  part 
to  its  very  general  use.  It  is  not  suggested  that  less  vigilance  be 
employed  in  this  respect,  but  that  more  care  be  exercised  in  the 
purchase  of  clover  seed. 

Timothy  seed  carries  few  weed  seeds.  This  is  a  matter  of 
common  knowledge  and  is  abundantly  borne  out  in  the  results 
reported  herewith.     Only  26  species  of  weed  seeds  were  iden- 


218 


Bulletin  146 


TESTS   OF   TIMOTHY   SEED 


NOXIOUS    SEED 

(Hundreds) 


a 

d 

a 

0 

afo 

5 

a 

3 

a 

ft 

(0 

03  tJ 

ag 
a-a 

— 

a 

0) 

9 

ag 

d 

03  "a 
D  d 

0  3 

a§ 

0) 
0) 

d  i- 
013 

a  ° 
d  =^ 

m 

Oh 

t< 

z, 

K 

0 

03 

fa 

0 

4 

5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
15 
18 
21 
30 
33 
35 
37 
44 
47 
48 
52 
60 
62 
77 
78 
89 
93 
96 
98 
100 


99.3 
99.6 
94.8 
99.8 
99.9 
99.1 
99.8 
99.3 
99.5 
99.6 
99.8 
99.3 
99.3 
99.8 
99.1 
99.8 
99.6 
98.6 
99.3 
99.8 
99.4 
98.9 
99.8 
98.6 
99.7 
98.6 
99.5 


0.2 
0.2 
3.1 
0.1 

o.'e 

0.1 
0.2 
0.3 

6.1 
0.4 
0.4 
0.1 
0.6 
0.1 
0.2 
0.6 
0.2 

6.2 
0.7 

6.6 
0.1 
1.1 
0.3 


0.5 
0.2 
2.1 
0.1 

0.3 
0.1 
0.5 
0.2 
0.4 
0.1 
0.3 
0.3 
0.1 
0.3 
0.1 
0.2 
0.8 
0.5 
0.2 
0.4 
0.4 
0.2 
0.8 
0.2 
0.3 
0.2 


16 
13 
2 
2 
2 
6 
16 
2 

9 

29 

2 

4 

2 

19 

26 


6 
12 


130  1034 

2  4 
2 

20  52 
4 

4  14 

8  17 


6 
40 
30 
11 
47 

4 
12 
43 
45 

4 

25 

2 

56 

7 

60 

2 


4 
16 

16 

2 
2 


7 
18 


2 
68 


13 
2 
2 


Note.  The  numbers  of  seeds  as  shown  in  the  table  are  expressed  as 
hundreds,  omitting  the  tens  and  units ;  thus,  for  example,  the  number  16 
under  the  caption  red  stemmed  plantain  means  that  there  were  present  in 
a  pound  of  the  seed  under  examination  sixteen  hundred  (1600)  seed  of  this 
particular  weed. 


Grass  and  Clove.r  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont 


219 


TESTS  OP  TIMOTHY  SEED 


NOXIOUS  SEED  (Hundreds) 


HARMLESS  SEED  (Hundreds) 


2  3 


<u 

bl 

o 

0) 

B 

sj 

u* 

ft  m 

g-O 

ri-O 

■C 

v.** 

^^-d 

m-a 

a-a 

h  a 

a;  d 

•-  d 

i5 

ns 

S  3 

nj3 

0) 

>■« 

iJ 

Ph 

H 

^ 

m 

-a 

<u 

0)        ^ 

IQ         OJ 

o"  o 

t^ 

2^ 

Si=i 

OJ  fl 

y  302 

D 

:3  D 

^  s 

aia^ 

mfl 

,c^ 

s 

« 

<: 

* 

2 

2 

2 

2 

4 

2 

4 

22 

7 

".    2a,2b   '2 

2 

39 

2 

13 

980 

2 

27 

16 

'7 

,   . 

2 

2 

. . 

2 

14 

2 

2 

2 

9 

4 

2 

'4 

2 

2 

2 

7 

4 

27 

7                  9 

14 

2 
45 

7 
2 
2 

'7 

2 

"4 

2 

'.     2c,2d    "4 

4 

4 

"7 

2 

2 

7 

11 

2 

4 

9 

16 
43 

7 

2 

2                18 
. .     2e,*      2 

7 

2 

2 

* 

20 

13 

23t 

2 

7 

'4 

'4 

13 

43 

4 

4 

9 

.      4f,2g  .. 

2 

Grade    marks — E   excellent,    G    good,    F   fair,    P   poor. 

•Inert  matter  contains  ergotized  seed;  tCanada  blue  grass:  a.  Docks; 
b,  Chickweed ;  c.  Spring  amaranth :  d,  Healall  ;  e,  Crabgrass ;  f.  Dog  fennel ; 
g.  Canada  thistle ;  h,  Mullein ;  1,  Vervain ;  k.  Field  dodder ;  1,  Ribgrass ;  m, 
Hedge  mustard ;   n,   Lady's   thumb ;   o.   Green  foxtail. 


220 


Bulletin  146 


TESTS  OP  TIMOTHY  SEED 

NOXIOUS   SEED   (Hundreds) 


a 

cure 

a 

a 

.T3 

ft-O 

oj 

0) 

«'1 

02^ 

CO  oT 

11 

a 

a  a, 

mT3 

0) 

fl  t. 

3  rt 
0  s 

0) 

-a 

o-o 

a  !=i 

Z 

tn 

0 

03 

fe 

a 

102 

99.6 

0.1 

0.3 

11 

7 

G 

106 

99.3 

0.5 

0.2 

6 

44 

G 

110 

99.7 

0.1 

0.2 

13 

E 

111 

99.8 

0.2 

E 

117 

99.1 

0.5 

0.4 

19 

27 

G 

118 

99.5 

0.1 

0.4 

6 

9 

E 

119 

98.8 

0.5 

0.7 

31 

42 

G 

120 

99.8 

0.1 

0.1 

2 

E 

122 

99.9 

0.1 

2 

E 

124 

99.5 

0.3 

0.2 

's 

22 

G 

136 

99.7 

0.1 

0.2 

4 

E 

137 

99.3 

0.2 

0.5 

15 

14 

G 

138 

99.3 

0.4 

0.3 

16 

22 

G 

189 

98.9 

0.6 

0.5 

9 

29 

G 

190 

99.5 

0.1 

0.4 

2 

E 

191 

92.8 

4.9 

2.3 

210 

241 

L 

192 

99.1 

0.5 

0.4 

22 

G 

193 

98.7 

0.7 

0.6 

9 

22 

G 

196 

99.9 

4 

E 

197 

99.9 

2 

'2 

E 

198 

99.6 

0.2 

0.2 

6 

8 

E 

207 

99.5 

0.2 

0.3 

4 

11 

E 

209 

99.6 

0.1 

0.3 

4 

E 

210 

99.5 

0.2 

0.3 

'8 

9 

G 

211 

99.0 

0.3 

0.7 

4 

9 

G 

216 

99.2 

0.2 

0.6 

6 

7 

G 

12 


45 


18 


Note.  The  numbers  of  seeds  as  shown  in  the  table  are  expressed  as 
hundreds,  omittinjr  the  tens  and  units ;  thus,  for  example,  the  number  16 
under  the  caption  red  stemmed  plantain  means  that  there  were  present  in 
a  pound  of  the  seed  under  examination  sixteen  hundred  (1600)  seed  of  this 
particular  weed. 


Grass  and  Clove^r  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont 


221 


TESTS  OF  TIMOTHY  SEED 
NOXIOUS  SEED   (Hundreds)  harmless   seed    (Hundreds) 


m 

0) 

-C 

CO 

o 

a 

13 
0) 

-3 
a 

3 

a 

2      1 

s 

S 

-3 
a 

^7, 

3 

h^ 

Cl'« 

•o 

0) 
tJ3 

"S-P 

5-3 

3 

m"^ 

■o 

d 

a>  a 

a  3 

s- 

4)  p 

m  3  aj 
o  30! 

S  o 
d  3 

a  3 

o 
-a 

0) 

aj3 

^^ 

ja"" 

■a 

tea  ^ 

Ol 

o!i,a 

^a 

1-1 

Hi 

H 

m 

m 

<5 

« 

^ 

!? 

K 

14 


7h 

,  , 

2b,4i* 

4 

38 

* 

7 

2 

4 

* 

9 

18 

2k 

9 

21 

2 

9 

4 

21 

2 

7 

13 

2in* 

4f,  2i 

7 

7 

2 

18 
29 

2 
'2 

7i,4e,2d,9n 

,2o  43 

137 
22 

.  67 

2n 

22 

2 

4 

4 

,2a 
2o 


27 


Grade    marks — E    excellent,    G    good,    F   fair,    P    poor. 

*Inert  matter  contains  ergotized  seed:  tCanada  blue  grass;  a,  Docks; 
1),  Chickweed:  c,  Spring  amaranth;  d.  Healall  ;  e.  Crabgrass ;  f.  Dog  fennel; 
g.  Canada  thistle ;  h,  Mullein ;  1,  Vervain ;  k.  Field  dodder ;  1,  Ribgrass ;  m, 
Hedge  mustard ;   n,   Lady's   thumb ;   o,   Green  foxtail. 


222 


Bulletin   146 


TESTS  OF  RED  CLOVER  SEED 


NOXIOUS 

SEED 

(Hundreds) 

4) 

.■a 

u. 
•a"2 

a 

■3 
a 

CO 

CO 

to 
oj 

u 

J3 

a 

a 

0. 

0) 

-a 

0) 

■M 

ag 

m-d 

IB  .a 

11 

'3 

4-" 

M 
03 

0 

a 

0) 

01 

:^ 
0 

0 

Fh 

5-S 

O) 

csi 
D 
» 

CO 

0 

(1) 

0 
0 

0 

<4-l 

Be 

a 

OS 

S  ft 

0  s 

3a 

d 

M 

a 

+J  j_i 

X3 

n 

OJ 

a> 

1^ 

■^a 

t-. 

0) 

^ 

•a 

0) 

ho  0 

a 

-O 

a 

"a! 

£ 

S 

^ 

ffi 

0 

0 

2 

e! 

V2 

5?; 

^ 

0 

M 

0 

kH 

2 
11 
13 
16 
17 
20 
22 
32 
34 
36 
39 
40 
42 
43 
46 
50 
51 
76 
79 
81 
88 
90 
91 
92 
95 
97 
107 


99.0 
91.5 
96.3 
99.1 
99.0 
99.2 
99.2 
99.2 
87.4 
88.4 
58.2 
75.0 
63.2 
75.3 
91.2 
86.1 
86.8 
96.5 
97.8 
98.8 
97.4 
99.0 
97.0 
97.5 
90.9 
96.1 
84.0 


0.4  0.6 

5.1  3.4 

2.4  1.3 
0.1  0.8 
0.4  0.6 
0.2  0.6 
0.2  0.6 
0.3  0.5 
4.6  8.0 

5.5  6.1 
28.9  12.9 
15.0  10.0 
19.9  16.9 
18.0  6.7 

5.5  3.3 
5.0  8.9 

6.6  6.6 
1.6  1.9 
0.7  1.5 
0.4  0.8 
1.3  1.3 
0.5  0.5 
0.5  2.5 
0.4  2.1 
6.5  2.6 
1.3  2.6 

12.8  3.2 


4 

104 

14 

1 

17 

3 

5 

10 

157 

152 

496 

347 

364 

191 

73 

87 

63 

42 

8 

7 

51 

11 

14 

9 

198 

48 

349 


19 

353 

99 

1 

47 

6 

1 

1 

153 

184 

1602 

527 

989 

1225 

382 

223 

171 

53 

44 

2 

17 

1 

3 

3 

187 

20 

558 


3 
1 
3 

5 
35 
38 


P  215 
P  137 


89 

24 
2 

48 

6 
1 
1 
1 
3 


3 

36  23 

27  20 

14  34 

16  39 

23  38 

14  16 
2  9 

15  .. 
1 

36 
1 


9 
10 


1 

8       3 

10       8 


22 


74  24  64 

10  19  38 

9  66  26 

33  20  11 

32  3  1 

2  4  8 

2  ..  3 


10 

7 
2 


20 
17 
1 
4 
7 
9 
7 


5 
5 

15 
34 


5     17 


36 


1 

50 

9 


P  125 


1  .. 

24  22 

17  2 

32  14 


1 

9     14 


4 
4 

..      ..       1 
5     13     39 


20 

7 

13 


Grade   marks — B   excellent,    G   good,    P  fair,    P   poor. 

Note.  The  numbers  of  seeds  as  shown  in  the  table  are  expressed  as 
hundreds,  omitting  the  tens  and  units ;  thus,  for  example,  the  number  16 
under  the  caption  red  stemmed  plantain  means  that  there  were  present  in 
a  pound  of  the  seed  under  examination  sixteen  hundred  (1600)  seed  of  this 
particular  weed. 

The  inert  matter  was  quite  commonly  made  up  of  dirt,  chaff,  sticks, 
straw,  etc.  In  the  cases  cited  below  more  or  less  seed  was  found  in  the  con- 
ditions indicated.  • 

Wormy   and   broken 11,    12,    126,    127,    128 

Large,    broken 16,    20.    79.    80,    81.    88.   91,   92,   95,   97,    10.3.    107,    108. 

109,  115,  130,  141,  143,  144,  199,  202,  208,  212.  213 

Flat,    immature    34,    39 

Broken,    immature    51,    94,    159,    195 

Shrivelled,    shrunken    36,    45,    46,    49,    135,    188.    214,    218 

Shrunken    and    sprouted     99 

Dried    up    43 

Ergotized     116,    145,    206 

"Poor"    40,    42,    50 


Grass  and  Ci.over  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont 


223 


TESTS  OF  RED  CLOVER  SEED 


>-oxious 

SEED 

(Hundreds) 

HARMLESS 

SEED 

(Hundreds 

a 

a*^ 

a 

"2 

£1 

a 

o 

O 

o3 

» 

ft 

m  O 

3  a 

o 

0) 

03 

3 
O 
OJ 

JS 

m 

■a 

br 

4-) 

a  o 

a 

m 

a 

a 
"5 

& 

CO 

m 

i 

M 

s 

m 

Ml 

03 

a 

0) 

o 
p 

"S 

0)  (1) 

o 

"33 

M 

o 

Q 

a 

el 

0) 

0) 

a 
'S 

o 

a 

a 

CD 

M 

< 

s 

M 

4 58A,1B 

4 IC 


13 

4 

2    . 

13 

99 

241    . 

38 

24 

3G  1 

1 

3     24     20 


1 

6 

..      2 

1   .  . 

1   .. 

4 

5 
9 

1 

1 

..     1 

1   .. 

. .   ID 

..   2E 

43 
35 

30     79  It 

..      2 

50     97  2% 

5 
20 

1 
1 

10 

5 

..   36 
..   19 

..     3 

..     1 

..    (I) 
..    (II) 

772 
136 

118  700  8*4t 
37  356   .. 

12 

4 

1 

5 

25 

..     1 

1 

. .    (Ill) 

361 

85  540  3* 

8 

18 

3 

1 

..   17 

1   .. 

5 

..    5I,1J,1K 

425 

194  606   .. 

5 
2 

..     1 

.  .   3R,2F,1S  127 
..   IJ                 78 

128  126  It 

2 

5 

34  110  It 

1 

1  IT 
1  3U,1V 
1  IJ 

28 

17 
1 

34  106  2tl1: 
..     53   .. 
3     24   .. 
1   .. 

1 

..   2W 

4 
1 

..     13   .. 

10   .. 

..    2A,2X 

..      ..   3t 

..   lY 

..      ..   3t51I 

■• 

6 

7 
1 

5 

..    i 

3 
1 

..    (IV) 
. .     2f,lW 

53 

37     90  2t 

14 

8 

11 

5 

6 

3 

1     7 

3     3 

1   .. 

..     (V) 

♦German  millet.  tRed  top.  jAlfalfa.  i;Meadow  fescue.  §Canada  blue  grass. 
A,  Sweet  clover ;  B,  Goat's  rue ;  C,  Bracted  plantain ;  D,  Bitter  sweet ;  E.  Low 
amaranth;  F,  Canada  thistle;  G,  Chickweed  ;  H,  Black  mustard;  I,  Arrowhead  tear- 
thumb  ;  J,  Catnip ;  K.  Vervain  ;  L.  Smartweed  ;  M,  Wild  buckwheat ;  N.  Dotted  smart- 
weed  ;  O.  Spring  amaranth  ;  P,  Quack  grass ;  Q,  Centaurea  sp.  ;  R,  Three-seeded  mer- 
cury ;  S,  Nettle ;  T,  Suckling  clover :  U,  Chicory ;  V,  Wild  carrot ;  W,  German  knot- 
grass ;    X,    Scentless    camomile ;    Y.    False   flax ;    Z,    Prairie   ribroot. 

I*        a,  S'ender  paspalum  ;  b,  Pennyroyal ;  c.  Barn-yard  grass ;  d.  Mint ;  e.  Nightshade ; 

,f,    Bitter    dock ;    g,    Bladder   ketmia ;    h,    Bur    clover ;    i.    Polygonum    sp.  ;    j.    Shepard's 

'purse;    k,   Ox-eye  daisy;    1.    Sprouting   crab  grass:    m.    Ground   cherry:   n.    Field   bind 

weed ;    o.    Bull    thistle :    p,   Pennycress ;    q.    Coral    berry  ;    r,    sedge ;    s,    Hedge   mustard ; 

t.    Balm;    u,    Bromegrass ;    v,    Purslane;    w,    Evening    primrose;    x.    Yellow    rocket; 

y.  White  top. 

39  (I)  4F,  3L,  3E,  1G.  1A  ;  40  (II)  3E,  2M,  IN,  10.  IP;  42  (III)  3E.  2L.  IQ, 
IK,  IJ,  10,  IB;  0.5  (IV)  5Z.  5a,  2b,  2C,  2c,  2d.  IW.  le ;  107  (V)  5Z,  4F,  3c,  IG,  le, 
la,  Ig,  IW,  IN,  Ir;  109  (VI)  4h.  2W,  2a,  IZ :  126  (VII)  71.  5W,  4C,  3m,  IR.  In; 
127    (VIII)    91,   7W,   5C,  3o.  3c,   Ip,   In.   IN,   Iq,   Ih. 


224 


Bulletin  146 


TESTS  OF  RED  CLOVER  SEED 

NOXIOUS  SEED   (Hundreds) 


a 


0)   P< 


"So 
"^  3 

3  a 
o  a 


a  ^ 


o 


o 


tf 


Cc! 


.J 


108 
109 
116 
126 
127 
130 
135 
159 
188 
195 
199 
202 
208 
212 
213 
214 

1 
12 
14 
19 
38 
45 
49 
53 
94 
99 
101 
128 


97.6 
97.1 
94.0 
85.2 
83.5 
83.4 
98.3 
98.7 
99.0 
99.0 
99.3 
94.8 
99.5 
99.5 
99.5 
97.8 
Alsike. 


0.3 

1.8 

4.1 

11.8 

11.9 

11.8 

0.2 

0.4 

0.2 

0.3 

3.3 


0.1 
1.4 


93.0 
89.7 
96.2 
98.9 
6.36 
97.1 
91.0 
71.2 
85.5 
85.7 
99.3 
78.2 


4.0 

8.5 

1.9 

0.6 

19.0 

1.0 

6.4 

22.9 

13.5 

12.6 

0.2 

18.5 


2.1 
1.1 
1.9 
3.0 
4.6 
4.8 
1.5 
0.9 
0.8 
0.7 
0.7 
1.9 
0.5 
0.5 
0.4 
0.8 

3.0 
1.8 
1.9 
0.5 
17.4 
2.5 
2.6 
5.9 
1.0 
1.7 
0.5 
2.3 


12 
94 

85 


5 
241 


312  559 

249  516 

248  397 

9  7 


21 

1 

4 

2 
86  169 

1    1 

1 

2 
52 


4 

10 

9 


1 

38 


2  521 

149  813 

32  157 

7   42 

140  1728 

4 

40  565 

116  2100 

75  1498 

199  1047 

4   10 

127  2700 


E  3 
F  51 
P  16 


99 
1 
8 
1 
3 


3  .. 

6  .. 

7  23 


P  103  32  20 
P  138  29   9 


11 
8 
9 

11 


5 
27 


14  34 

4  23 

1 


11 

5 

14 

7 
4 


21   7  22 


G  12   9  13 


2 

103 

23 


70  16  13 


18 
91 
41 

52 


1 

5 

"4 
56 


13 


9  27 


140 
187 
194 
200 
201 
217 


93.4 
95.6 
93.7 
99.0 
98.4 
97.8 


4.1 
2.1 
4.6 
0.6 
1.2 
1.5 


2.5 
2.3 
1.7 
0.4 
0.4 
0.7 


105 

69 

40 

2 

9 

2 


327 
147 
496 
61 
83 
159 


83 

65 

9 


2 
27 


Grade  marks — E   excellent,    G   good,    F  fair,    P   poor. 

Note.  The  numbers  of  seeds  as  shown  in  the  table  are  expressed  as 
hundreds,  omitting  the  tens  and  units ;  thus,  for  example,  the  number  16 
under  the  caption  red  stemmed  plantain  means  that  there  were  present  in 
a  pound  of  the  seed  under  examination  sixteen  hundred  (1600)  seed  of  this 
particular  weed. 


TESTS  OF  RED  CLOVER  SEED 

NOXIOUS  SEKD   (Hundreds) 


HARMLESS    SEED 

(Hundreds) 


d 

03 

a 

.-:: 

oj 

o 

G 

Qj 

oj 

.73 

a 
a 

■H 

be 
o 

73 

.9 
'3 

a 

•c 

hi 

to 
p 

0) 

"3 

o 

CO 

s 

ft 

o 
o 

a 

o 
"S 

fcc 

a 
a> 

O 
p 

a> 

Q 

Ci 

6 

jv< 

>^ 

Q 

Oh 

dl 

OS 

E 

W 

M 

a> 

O 

> 
o 

O 

o 

^' 

o 

K 

^ 

a 

< 

pi 

H 

1         4h,li 

5     ..      ..       2 1     2   ..    (VI) 

5  1     lW,lj,lk 

15       9     12     14       7       1       2     ?   ..     1     1     1   ..     1   ..    (VII) 
14       9       6       S       4       2       24442....      21   (VIII) 

9 9..     2 9H,4i 

2      

2     Ic 


5 

39 

89 

113 

83 

184 

292 

67 

160 

289 

88 

16 

286 

4 

1 

2 

4 

1 

9 

2 

7 

7t 


2     3     1 


IV 


IV 


19 
1 


40  110 


3s,lV 


7      16     4 


4 9G,2t 


5 

Red 

4 

23 

9 


1 
20 


13 


16 


13 


13 


4 
32 


2 

7 

43 


If 
2F 


2F 


2    .  .     7 2r,2s,2u 

18 27G,4r 


2     11     2     7 


27 


27  472  18t 

..790     .. 

. .   148     .  . 

13     29 

159  241  131 18t 

..       4     ..     .. 

9  250  295  lit 

55  788  1257    .. 

114231060    4t 

59  329    650    9t 

2      4        4    .. 

20v,7r,2w  16  263  2358  63t 

2t 

16x,2y        34    61    158  72§ 

11102      34    .. 

11    83    402    .. 

..41      20    .. 

13    38      32    .. 

4133      20    2t 


♦German  millet.       tRed  top.       JAlfalfa.       '  Mea'low  fescue.       R'anada  blue  grass. 

A,  Sweet  clover ;  B.  Goat's  rue ;  C,  Bracted  plantain ;  D,  Bitter  sweet ;  E,  Low 
amaranth  ;  P.  Canada  thistle ;  G,  Chickweed  :  H.  Black  mustard ;  I,  Arrowhead  tear- 
thumb  ;  J,  Catnip  ;  K.  Vervain  ;  L,  Smartweed  :  M,  Wild  buckwheat ;  N,  Dotted  smart- 
weed  ;  O,  Spring  amaranth  :  P.  Quack  grass  :  Q,  Centaurea  sp.  ;  R.  Three-seeded  mer- 
cury ;  S,"  Nettle  :  T,  Suckling  clover ;  IJ,  Chicory  :  V,  Wild  carrot ;  W,  German  knot- 
grass ;    X,    Scentless    camomile ;    Y.    False   flax ;    Z,    Prairie   ribroot. 

a,  Slender  paspalum  :  b,  Pennyroyal;  c,  Barn-yard  grass;  d.  Mint:  e.  Nightshade: 
f.  Bitter  dock ;  g.  Bladder  ketmia ;  h.  Bur  clover :  i,  Polygonum  sp.  ;  j.  Shepard's 
purse :  k,  Ox-oye  daisy :  1,  Sprouting  crab  grass ;  m,  ground  cherry ;  n.  Field  bond 
weed ;  o,  Bull  thistle ;  p,  Pennycress ;  q.  Coral  berry ;  r,  sedge :  s,  Hedge  mustard  ; 
t.  Balm;  u.  Bromegrass ;  v,  Purslane;  w,  Evening  primrose:  x.  Yellow  rocket; 
y.  White  top. 


226 


Bulletin  146 
tests  of  miscellaneous  seeds 


+^ 

a 

0 

0) 

0. 

.  to 

-a 

'O'O 

a 

"O 

OJ 

-a  jH 

CU    !- 

0) 

<D  "O 

tO'O 

-a 

Ol 

tu  p 

d 

C^   i-i 

to  3 

m  a 

a 

yg 

to-=" 

a 
0   ' 

0 

md 

to 

a  a) 

aj 

1) 

fa 

0 

Hi 

a) 
■a 

5 

m  O 

a;  to 
to 


tzi  ^ 


p>.  a;  o 


ag 

^  a 
d  to- 


Red  Top 
3  90.6     0.4     9.0 


31  95.0     0.4 

41  88.2     2.9 

145  92.0     2.4 


5 

4.6  57 
8.9  885 
5.6     23 


59 

50 

540 

298 


206  77.4  10.6  12.0  388  2235 

Alfalfa 

80  99.1  ...  0.9  2  ..  E 
115  97.3  0.1  2.6  3  .  .  E 
218  95.6     0.4     4.0     10         3    E 

Oats 

103  94.0     4.3     1.7  1— 
146  96.7     1.5     1.8  1— 

Barley 

143  96.5     2.5     1.0  1— 

144  95.0     4.7     0.3     .. 

Japanese  Millet 

87  90.1  9.4  0.5  127  ..  G 
142  91.8     5.4     2.8  123         2    G 

Kentucky  Blue  Grass 


5A  59o 

32B,5C,5D,5B,5F,5G  50o 

758H,100B,27I  540o 

18K,5L  270o,23p,5q 

234H,63K,50F,13M,9C,5G,9B,5N     2230o,5p 


6+ 
1— 


5 
11 


2L 

lO.lP.lQ 

4R,2S,2T,1M,1V 

V  and  W 
X  and   R 


W,  Y  and  V 


59R,37Y,21Z,10a 
53R,20b,19c,15d,9Y,3e,2f,lT,lg 


204  93.4     0.4     6.2     45 

Orchard  Grass 

205  89.4     2.5     8.1  148 

Hungarian 
141  95.5     2.8     1.7  104 


E 


36K,9h 
67   G    119i,14X,llk,4M 
1    G      50T,141,12R,10m,6c,5O,3n,3f,lY 


3r 


4t,2u 
t,w&x 


Sz.lx.lt 
lOz.lt 


2y 


67w,2q 


Is 


Grade    marks — E   excellent,    G   good,    F  fair,    V   poor. 

Note.  The  numbers  of  seeds  as  shown  in  the  table  are  expressed  as 
hundreds,  omitting  its  tens  and  units ;  thus,  for  example,  the  number  16 
under  the  caption  red  stemmed  plantain  means  that  there  were  present  in 
a  pound  of  the  seed  under  examination  sixteen  hundred  (1600)  seed  of  this 
particular  weed. 

A,  Sage  brush ;  B,  Yarrow ;  C,  Yellow  daisy ;  D,  Goldenrod ;  E,  Sheep 
sorrel ;  F,  Red  stem  plantain ;  G,  Peppergrass ;  H,  Five  finger ;  I,  Common 
plantain ;  K,  Sedge ;  L,  Dog  fennel ;  M,  Ribgrass ;  N,  Mint ;  O.  Lamb's  quar- 
ters ;  P,  Curled  dock ;  Q,  Slender  melilot ;  R,  Yellow  foxtail ;  S,  Chicory ; 
T,  Green  foxtail ;  U,  Dock  sp.  ;  V,  Kale ;  W.  Wild  buckwheat ;  X,  Chess ; 
Y,   Ragweed ;   Z,    Polygonum   sp. 

a,  Smartweed ;  b.  Spiny  sida ;  c,  Barnyard  grass ;  d,  Crabgrass ;  e.  Large 
smartweed ;  f.  Slender  crabgrass ;  g.  Spurge ;  h.  Mouse-ear  chlckweed ;  1,  Vel- 
vet grass ;  k.  Ox-eye  daisy ;  1,  Lady's  thumb ;  m,  Old  witch  grass ;  n,  Red 
root  pigweed ;  o,  Timothy ;  p.  White  clover ;  q,  Red  clover ;  r.  Crimson 
clover ;    s,    Alsike    clover ;    t,    Wheat ;    u,    Barley ;    v.    Flax ;    w,    Bluegrasses ; 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont 


227 


tified  in  the  53  samples,  while  the  unidentified  seeds — perhaps 
half  a  dozen  in  number — were  negligible  in  point  of  quantity. 
But  one  sample  in  53  contained  the  seeds  of  weeds  not  already 
well  established  and  widely  known  throughout  the  state.  This 
one  contained  the  seeds  of  spring  amaranth,  slender  crab  grass 
and  field  dodder  in  small  quantities.  The  weeds  occurring  most 
commonly  and  in  the  greatest  numbers  were : 

Common  or  native  plantain 17 

Red  stem  or  Rugel's  plaintain 38 

Five  finger  or  cinquefoil 23 

Yellow  daisy  or  black-eyed  Susan 16 

Sheep  or  field  sorrel    11 

Lamb's  quarters  or  pigweed 19 

Sedge  or  swale  grass   11 

Peppergrass    .- 16 

Evening  primrose    16 

The  following  tabular  statement  shows  the  weed  seeds  most 
abundantly  found  in  timothy  samples.  It  will  be  noted  that 
numbers  6  and  191,  characterized  at  the  opening  of  this  section 
are  the  ones  in  which  the  most  common  and  pernicious  weeds 
were  most  largely  found. 

WEED  SEEDS  IN   TIMOTHY  SEED 


Name  of  weed 


IS 

a> 

a 

0. 

a 

B 

a 

d  4^ 

oj« 

te  — 

"w-0»J 

<M.a    • 

^  t- 

S^3 

a  1*  3 

0     0 

Ba'H 

P  ai: 

y. 

Red  stem  plantain. 

Five  finger   

Common    plantain 

Yellow  daisy   

Lamb's  quarters   . . 

Peppergrass    

Evening  primrose 

Sheep   sorrel    

Sedge  


20 
12 


10 
7 
7 
6 
6 


38 
23 
15 
15 
19 
13 
13 
11 
11 


10,500 

4,500 

1,800 

2,200 

900 

900 

700 

1,400 

700 


No.  191 
No.  191 
No.  191 
No..  6 
No.  137 
No.  100 
No.  138 
No.  191 
No.  35 


228  Bulletin   146 

2.  Red  clover  {4^  samples). — These  varied  widely  in  quality 
and  showed  a  much  lower  average  therein  than  did  the  timothy 
seed.  This  statement  holds  both  as  regards  purity  percentages  and 
as  regards  their  weed  seed  contents.  Thirty-nine  samples  of  red 
and  four  of  mammoth  clovers  were  examined,  more  than  three- 
fourths  of  them  during  1907  and  1908.  Apparently  the  general 
quality  improved  markedly  in  1909,  for  the  average  data  for 
purity  in  round  figures  are:  1907,  17  samples  88  percent;  1908, 
16  samples  91  percent;  1909,  10  samples  98  percent.  The  seed  of 
the  1907  market  was  exceptionally  poor;  that  of  1909  relatively 
good.  The  poorer  grades  of  the  two  former  years  were  probably 
due  more  particularly  to  unfavorable  weather  conditions  and 
consequent  poor  seed  crops,  and  to  the  passage  of  the  Canadian 
law  and  the  consequent  exportation  of  seed  rejected  in  the  home 
markets.  Yet  pure  seed  was  obtainable  in  the  two  former  years, 
inasmuch  as  one-third  of  the  samples  carried  less  than  one  percent 
impurity.  In  1908,  following  two  successive  poor  seed  crops, 
the  average  quality  improved  somewhat,  possibly  owing  to  more 
careful  selection.  In  1909,  following  a  favorable  crop  season, 
the  quality  was  excellent  and  prices  normal.  Viewing  the  situa- 
tion as  a  whole,  just  20  percent  of  the  samples  were  99  percent 
pure  or  better ;  the  fourth  ranged  from  95  to  99  percent  pure  ;  one- 
seventh  from  90  to  95  ;  one-seventh  from  80  to  90 ;  while  one-sixth 
of  the  entire  lot  were  of  lower  grade,  three  samples  showing  less 
than  70  percent  purity. 

The  weed  seed  content  of  red  clover  seed^  both  as  regards 
the  gross  amounts  present  and  the  species  determined,  was  highly 
variable,  one  year  as  compared  with  another,  one  sample  as  com- 
pared with  another.  Several  lots  carried  each  almost  the  entire 
gamut  of  the  weed  seed  contents  of  the  entire  53  timothy  samples. 
Twenty-six  known  kinds  were  discovered  in  the  53  timothy  sam- 
ples, whereas  no  less  than  67  kinds  of  weed  seed  occurred  in  the 
43  red  clover  samples,  not  to  speak  of  several  which  were  un- 
known, or  reported  simply  by  group  name  without  attempt  at  dis- 
crimination.    Eighteen  of  the  43  carried  in  excess  of  a  dozen 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  229 

known  varieties  of  weed  seeds,  while  one  showed  a  third  of  a 
hundred  sorts  and  was  a  veritable  posy  garden  of  weeds  in  em- 
bryo. The  following  weed  seeds  were  found  most  frequently 
and  in  the  largest  numbers  : 

Green  foxtail  or  barn  grass. 

Yellow  foxtail  or  pigeon  grass, 

The  native,  the  red  stemmed,  and  the  English  plantains. 

Sheep  sorrel, 

White  and  curled  docks. 

Dog  fennel  or  mayweed. 

Lady's  thumb  or  heartease. 

Kale  or  charlock. 

Lamb's  quarters  or  pigweed. 

Night  flowering  catchfly  or  sticky  cockle. 

Yellow  trefoil  or  black  medic. 

Spiny  sida, 

The  slender  and  the  sprouting  crab  grasses. 

Old  witch  grass, 

German  knot  grass. 

Black  mustard. 
The  following  tabular  statement  indicates  the  principal  occur- 
rence of  weed  seeds  in  red  clover  seed  : 


230 


Bulletin  146 


wLED  see;ds  in  red  clover  seed 


xn 

fl 

ti'O 

-gfl'Sa 

s  0 

a 

a 
& 

a© 

ill 

a    03 

!»■« 

0    flra 

J5-S  0  4J 

Name    of    weed. 

Sao 

I    num 

samp 

ich  it  0 

larges 

s 

X3         0 

i.9S 

H  0)  a 

12; 

CLi 

f« 

W 

Green  foxtail   33 

Ribgrass    26 

Redstem  plantain   25 

Sheep   sorrel    21 

Night   flowering   catchfly 18 

Lamb's  quarters 18 

Old   witchgrass    16 

Slender   crabgrass    16 

Curled  dock    16 

Yellow  foxtail   15 

Lady's   thumb    15 

Dog  fennel    12 

Common    plantain    11 

Crab  grass    10 

Kale    9 

Yellow   trefoil    8 

Spiny   sida    6 

White    dock    6 

Sweet   clover    3 

Sprouting  crabgrass    2 

Black   mustard    1 


76 

21,500 

39 

60 

3,600 

34  &  76 

58 

3,900 

40 

48 

7,400 

39 

41 

6,600 

42 

41 

6,400 

39 

37 

2,000 

95 

37 

2,000 

34 

37 

5,600 

130 

34 

700 

126  &  130 

34 

2,000 

40 

27 

1,800 

43 

25 

1,200 

126 

23 

1,400 

126 

20 

1,000 

39 

18 

2,500 

42 

14 

1,000 

90 

14 

1,700 

43 

7 

5,800 

11 

4 

900 

127 

2 

900 

130 

Only  three  weeds  were  found — the  slender  and  the  sprouting 
crab  grases  and  the  spiny  sida — which  are  relatively  rare  in  Ver- 
mont. These  three  doubtless  have  been  introduced  frequently 
enough  to  have  become  estabhshed  if  Vermont  conditions  had 
favored  their  development.  The  residue  constitute  the  well  known 
widely  distributed,  and  often  formidable  pests  of  Vermont  farms. 
The  last  column  in  the  table  above  emphasizes  the  general  weedy 
character  of  certain  samples. 

3.  Alsike  clover.  As  with  the  red,  so  with  the  alsike 
clover ;  wide  variations  in  purity  and  in  quality  from  year  to  year 
and  as  between  samples.  None  of  the  18  lots  were  as  pure  as 
were  many  of  the  red  clovers ;  likewise  none  were  as  poor  as  were 
certain  red  clover  samples ;  nor  were  there  as  many  kinds  of  weed 
seeds  found.     The  same  general  betterment  obtained  in  the  aver- 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  231 

age  quality  in  1909  as  compared  with  that  of  the  two  previous 
years  and  doubtless  for  the  same  reasons;  1907,  88  percent;  1908, 
85  percent ;  1909,  96  percent.  The  small  number  of  samples  ana- 
lyzed makes  yearly  tabulation  futile.  The  weed  seeds  most 
commonly  found  and  in  largest  numbers  were: 

Sheep  sorrel, 

Yellow  trefoil. 

Lamb's  quarters  or  pigweed, 

Common  and  red  stemmed  plantains. 

Five  finger, 

Night  flowering  catchfly, 

Chickweed, 

Docks, 

Peppergrass, 

Sedge, 

Purslane, 

Yellow  rocket. 
This  list  includes  several  occurring  in  but  one  or  two  samples, 
but  which  deserve  special  mention  because  of  the  large  numbers 
present.  Twenty-six  different  weeds  were  found  in  the  18 
samples,  exclusive  of  those  like  docks,  panicums  and  chickweeds 
which  could  not  be  discriminated.  The  chickweeds  represent  at 
least  three  species  (Alsiiie  media,  A.  graminia,  Cerastuin  vul- 
garis) all  of  which,  particularly  the  latter,  occur  frequently  in  al- 
sike  seed.     The  following  table  shows  the  distribution  of  seeds : 


232 


BuivI^ETlN    146 


WEED  SEEDS  IN  AESIKE  CLOVER 


Name  of  weed 


xn 

m  oj 

a-' 

iis: 

=*  - 

a 

M  J 

a-^ 

•  rH 

<"ja 

!» 

0^^ 

a 

^  w 

1)     p 

Md  0 

SpI 

z 

Oh 

a  o  0)' 

IS 

M  =^  es 


■M  d  r^  a 

^   W    o 

_    ^"  « 

0) 

m 


M 


Sheep    sorrel    

Yellow   trefoil    , 

Dog  fennel 

Docks    

Night  flowering  catchfly 

Lamb's  quarters 

Red  stem  plantain , 

Common    plantain    

Five  finger   , 

P  ppergrass    

Sedge   

Chickweeds 

Red-root  pigweed    

Purslane 

Yellow   rocket    


12 
7 
6 
6 
5 
5 
5 
4 
4 
4 
3 
2 
2 
1 
1 


67% 

38 

33 

33 

27 

27 

27 

22 

22 

22 

17 

11 

11 

5 

5 


10,300 
4,300 
1,300 
1,600 
2,700 

900 
3,200 
2,700 
1,800 

700 
2,700 

700 
2,000 
1,600 


12 

99 

53 

12 

38 

194 

128 

99 

128 

99 

128 

99 

128 

128 

140 


The  seeds  appearing  in  this  list  are  more  or  less  common  and 
most  of  them  are  among  the  most  pernicious  and  persistent  vari- 
eties. No  one  of  the  26  kinds  fotmd  could  be  properly  termed 
a  rare  weed  in  Vermont.  Although  an  important  means  of  dis- 
tributing such  weeds  as  were  already  common,  alsike  seed  does 
not  seem  as  likely  to  do  harm  by  the  introduction  of  new  species 
as  is  red  clover. 

4.     Miscellaneous  seed. 

(a).  Red  top.  Three  of  the  1907  samples  were  of  average 
purity,  91.3  percent;  two  were  of  very  good  quality,  the  inert 
matter  being  harmless,  the  numbers  of  weed  seeds  small  and  the 
quality  of  the  pure  seed  good.  The  other  was  of  much  lower 
grade  both  as  regards  purity  and  weed  seed  content. 

Two  1909  samples  showed  purity  percentages  respectively  of 
92  and  77.4  percent.  The  pure  seed  was  of  rather  poor  quality 
and  much  ergotized  seed  was  observed.  Number  206  carried 
nearly  75,000  ergotized  seed  per  pound,  enough  at  three  pounds 
per  acre  in  seeding  mixtures  to  place  upon  each  square  foot  nearly 
five  of  the  sclerotia,  each  capable  under  favorable  conditions  of 


Grass  and  Clovj^k  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  233 

producing  thousands  of  spores  for  the  infection  of  the  crop  in 
which  they  develop. 

The  only  weed  seeds  not  met  in  timothy  or  clover  were  sage 
brush,  golden  rod,  and  yarrow  or  millfoil.  Yarrow,  a  character- 
istic impurity  of  red  top  seed,  was  freely  distributed  through  three 
of  the  five  samples.  Five  finger  was  found  in  two  samples  in 
large  amounts,  75,000  and  25,000  per  pound  respectively. 

(b).  Alfalfa.  Three  samples  were  of  fair  to  good  quality. 
The  nature  of  their  seed  contents  was  practically  identical  with 
that  met  with  in  red  clover  seed,  the  only  new  seed  found  being 
slender  melilot,  a  species  of  sweet  clover.  The  average  purity 
was  97.3  percent. 

(c).  Oats  and  barley.  Two  samples  of  oats  were  of  ex- 
cellent quality  and  high  purity.  They  showed  but  a  trifling  weed 
seed  content ;  though  of  course,  on  account  of  the  heavier  weight 
of  cereals  than  of  gasses  and  clovers,  the  same  number  of  weed 
seeds  per  pound  represents  a  much  larger  number  sown  per  acre. 
Only  four  kinds  were  found :  kale,  yelow  foxtail,  wild  buckwheat, 
and  chess  or  cheat,  all  more  or  less  common  weeds. 

Two  samples  of  barley  were  of  good  quality  and  fairly  high 
purity,  no  weed  seeds  not  hitherto  mentioned  being  found  in  either 
sample.  One  showed  none  whatever.  It  would  seem  as  if  it 
were  not  impracticable  to  free  oats  and  barley  from  such  small 
and  easily  screened  seeds  as  kale,  which  doubtless  occur  in  nearly 
all  the  small  grains  sold  in  Vermont. 

(d).  Japanese  millet.  Two  samples  showed  good  quality  of 
pure  seed,  but  high  weed  seed  contents  (12,700  and  12,300  per 
pound).  Such  species  as  were  discovered  were  already  well 
established  on  Vermont  soil,  the  only  sort  not  hitherto  mentioned 
in  this  bulletin  being  the  large  smartweed  or  Pennsylvania  per- 
sicaria. 

(e).  Kentucky  blue  i!;rass.  But  little  of  this  seed  is  sold  in 
Vermont,  the  reason  being  that  it  is  used  only  for  pasture  and 
for  lawns.  For  such  purposes,  however,  it  surpasses  all  other 
grasses.  It  could  be  used  here  to  great  advantage,  particularly 
in  seeding  down  pastures.  As  has  been  previously  mentioned  this 
seed  is  often  adulterated  with  a  Canadian  species.  The  certain 
detection   of   its    sophistication    necessitates    expert   observation. 


234  Bulletin  146 

The  only  sample  examined  here  during  the  three  year  period  was 
not  adulterated.  It  was  secured  from  a  reliable  local  seeds- 
man, and  was  represented  to  be  the  best  grade  obtainable  from  a 
reputable  wholesale  house.  It  showed  a  weed  seed  content  of 
two  kinds,  sedge  and  mouse  ear  chickweed.  Poorer  and  adul- 
terated grades  may  well  have  been  sold  and  no  one  been  the  wiser. 

(/).  Orchard  grass.  One  sample,  representing  probably  the 
best  grade  sold  in  the  state,  showed  a  considerable  quantity 
(14,800)  of  weed  seeds  of  four  kinds,  velvet  grass,  chess  or  cheat, 
rib  grass  and  ox-eye  daisy.  Velvet  grass  seems  to  be  a  charac- 
teristic but  not  a  serious  impurity  of  orchard  grass  seed.  It 
occurred  in  this  sample  so  freely  as  almost  to  constitute  an 
adulteration,  were  it  the  fact,  which  is  not  the  case,  that  velvet 
grass  is  apt  to  be  thus  used.  The  more  common  adulterant  of 
orchard  grass  is  either  English  or  Italian  rye  grass,  neither  of 
which  were  found. 

{g).  Hungarian.  A  single  sample  was  of  fair  quality  but 
showed  over  10,000  weed  seeds  per  pound  of  eight  varieties  of 
common  weeds,  besides  some  few  seeds  of  slender  crab  grass. 
Except  for  the  presence  of  the  smut  fungus  on  some  of  the  seeds 
the  pure  seed  was  of  good  quality. 

whejnce;  come;  the  weed  seeds? 

The  following  table  discusses  in  condensed  and  tangible 
form  the  situation  as  to  the  sources  of  some  of  the  weeds  which 
infest  Vermont  fields.  It  epitomipes  the  several  tables  shown  on 
pages  218  to  226.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  almost  unbroken 
line  of  figures  in  the  red  clover  column.  But  18  of  the  88  vari- 
eties of  weed  seeds  found  in  this  study  were  not  discovered  in  red 
clover  seed ;  and  one  of  the  18  (dodder)  is  not  uncommonly  dis- 
covered therein.  Forty-two  species  were  found  only  in  red  clover 
seed ;  five  only  in  alsike  clover ;  one  only  in  alfalfa ;  three  only  in 
red  top;  one  only  in  timothy.  The  total  number  of  species  of 
weed  seeds  reported  is  88.  Doubtless  many  varieties  of  weed 
seeds,  not  discoverd  in  this  comparatively  small  number  of  de- 
sultory examinations,  have  been  sown  during  these  three  years 
upon  Vermont  farms. 


SHOWING    PERCENTAGE    OF    SAMPLES    CONTAINING    WEED    SEEDS    OV 
DIFFERENT  SPECIES 


COMMON     NAME 


BOTANICAL    NAME 


^ 

^ 

u 

^ 

f^ 

> 

^ 

<D 

O 

>, 

> 

o 

pd 

O 

o 

o 

X 

s 

-a 

CO 

H 

tf 

< 

^ 


Green  foxtail  or  barn  grass..  {Setaria  viridis) 

Rib  grass {Plantago  lanceolata) 

Red-stem  plantain   {Plantago    rugalii) 

Sheep  or  field  sorrel  {Rumex  acetrocella) 

Night   flowering   catchfly   or 

sticky  cockle   {Silene   noctiflora) 

Lambs'  quarters  or  i>igweed. .  (Chenopodium  album) 

Old  witch  grass   {Panicum   capillare) 

Slender  crab  grass    (Syntherisma  filiforme) 

Curled  dock   {Rumex  crispus) 

Yellow  foxtail  or  pigeon  grass. (Seiorio   glauca) 
Lady's  thumb  or  heartsease. .  (PoZr/fifonttm  persicaria) 

Dog  fennel  or  May  weed {Anthemis    cotula) 

Common   plantain    {Plantago   major) 

Crab  grass   {Syntherisma  sanguinalis) 

Kale  or  charlock {Brassica  arvensis) 

Yellow  trefoil  or  black  medie. {Medicago   lupulina) 

Spiny  sida {Sida  spinosa) 

Docks  sp {Rumex    sp.) 

Panicum  sp 

Peppergrass    {Lepidium   virginicum, 

L.  apetalum) 
Ragweed    {Ambrosia   artemisiae- 

folia) 

Five  finger  or  cinquefoil {Potentilla  monspeliensis) 

Spurge   {Euphorbia  nutans) 

Common  pigweed {Amaranthus  retroflexus) 

Healall {Prunella   vulgaris) 

Yellow  daisy  or  black-eyed 

Susan   {Rudbeckia  hirta) 

Sedge  or  swale  grass {Carex  sp.) 

Evening  primrose    {Onagra  biennis) 

Chickweed   {Alsine  media) 

Spring  amaranth   {Amaranthus  spinosus) 

Menzie's  peppergrass   {Lepidium  menziesii) 

Canada   thistle    {Carduus  arvensis) 

Blue  vervain   {Verbena   hastata) 

Field  dodder    {Cuscuta  arvensis) 

Hedge  mustard   {Sisymbrium  officinale) 

Mullein   {Verbascum    sp.) 

Sweet  clover    {Melilotus  alba) 

Goat's  rue ( Tephrosia  virginiana) 

Bracted   plantain    {Plantago  aristata) 

Bittersweet {Solanum  dulcamera) 

Low   amaranth    {Amaranthus  blitoides) 

Black  mustard    {Brassica  nigra) 


23 


16 

11 
16 
4 
2 
4 
2 
6 
2 
2 
2 


84 
60 
58 
49 

40 
49 
40 
45 
47 
35 
33 
28 
23 
21 
21 
16 
14 
30 
11 


11  18 

16  18 

29  12 

67  6 

29  .. 

29  12 

6  6 

11  12 


11   6 

6  30 

6 

33  12 


22 


33 

22 
11 


16 
5 
19 
14 
11 


7 
5 
7 
5 
10 
2 


11 


6 

6 

12 

6 
6 


16  23  29  12 


..   23 

22  12 

6 

6   6 


..   12 

17  18 

6 

11 


COMMON    NAME 


^ 


BOTANICAL   NAME 


O 

a 


^ 


^ 


Arrowhead  tear  thumb .... 

Catnip    

Smartweed    

Wild  buckwheat   

Dotted  smartweed   

Quack  grass  or  witch  grass 

Centaurea   sp 

Three-seeded   mercury    .... 

Nettle    

Sucking  clover    

Chicory    

Wild  carrot   

German  knotgrass   

Scentless  camomile   

False  flax   

Prairie  ribroot   

Slender  papsalum 

Pennyroyal   

Barnyard  grass   

Mint 

Nightshade    

Bitterdock    

Bladder  ketmia   

Bur  clover    

Polygonum  sp 

Shepard's  purse    

Oxeye  daisy   

Sprouting  crabgrass    

Ground  cherry   

Field  bindweed   

Bull  thistle   

Pennycress   

Coral  berry  

Balm  

Brome  grass 

Purslain   

Yellow  rocket   

White  top   

Sage  brush  

Yarrow   

Goldenrod    

Slender  melilot 

Chess  or  cheat  

Large  smartweed   

Mouse-ear  chickweed    

Velvet  grass 


Polygonum  sagitattum)  . .  2 
Nepeta  cataria)  . .     10 

Polygonum  hydropiper)  . .  5 
Polygonum  convulvulus)  . .  2 
Polygonum  punctatum)  . .  7 
Agropyron  repens)  . .       2 

2 

Acalypha  virginica)  .  .       5 

Urtica    sp.)  .  .       2 

Melilotus  offlcinalis)  . .       2 

Cichorium  intyhus)  . .       2 

Daucus  carota)  . .     10 

Schleranthus  annuus)  . .  19 
Matricaria  inodora)  . .       2 

Camelina  sativa)  . .       2 

Plantago  purslii)  . .       7 

Papsalum  setaceum)  . .       7 

Hedeoma  pulegioides)  . .  2 
Echinochloa  crus-galli)  . .  10 
Mentha  sp.)  . .       2 

Solanum    nigrum)  . .       5 

Rumex  obtusifolius)  . .       2 

Hibiscus   triomum)  . .       2 

Medicago  denticulata)        . .       5 

5 

Bursa  bursa-pastoris)  . .  2 
Chrysanthemum   leucan- 

themum)  . .       2 

Panicum  proliferum)  . .       5 

Physalis  sp.)  . .       2 

Convulvulus  arvensis)  . .  5 
Carduus  lanceolatus)  . .  2 
Thlaspi  arvense)  . .       2 

Symploricarpes  orbiciOa- 

tus) 

Melissa  officinalis) 
Bromus  sp.) 
Portulaca  oleracea) 
Barbarea  vulgaris) 
Danthonia   spicata) 
Artemisia   biennis) 
Achilles   millefolium) 
Solidago  sp.) 
Melilotus  gracilis) 
Bromus  secalinus) 
Polygonum  pennsylvani- 

cum) 

Cerastrium  vulgatum) 
Holcus  lannanus) 


Grass  and  CLOvEji  Si:e;d  Trade  in  Vermont  237 

VERMONT'S   WORST  WEEDS   IN    I909 

A  circular  letter  was  sent  in  the  winter  of  1908  to  several 
farmers  in  various  sections  of  the  state  asking  for  the  names  of 
the  ten  worst  weeds  in  cultivated  fields,  in  meadows  and  in  per- 
manent pastures,  these  to  be  arranged  in  order  of  the  damage 
done.  A  relatively  small  number  replied,  but  they  were  located 
in  widely  different  sections.  The  results  were  combined  and  com- 
puted. It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  results  of  this  survey 
with  the  weed  seed  content  of  the  commercial  seed  examinerl 
during  these  three  years.  The  following  table  indicates  the 
worst  weeds  in  the  cultivated  areas  as  thus  reported,  the  state- 
ments being  expressed  in  terms  of  percentages. 

1.  Quack  grass  (witch  grass)  89 

2.  Lamb's  quarters  (pigweed)  45 

3.  Kale  31 

4.  Rough  pigweed  30 

5.  Hedge  mustard  35 
C.  Sheep  sorrel  32 
7.  Black   bindweed  21 

Ragweed  21 

Every  one  of  the  16  species  designated  by  farmers  as  being 
Vermont's  worst  weeds  in  the  cultivated  areas  occurs  in  the  fore- 
going list  of  weed  seeds  found  in  grass  and  clover  seed.  Quack 
grass  or  witch  grass,  which  leads  the  list,  occurs  less  often  among 
the  grass  and  clover  seeds  than  does  any  other  one  of  the  i6, 
doubtless  because  it  matures  seed  very  poorly  and  propagates  al- 
most entirely  by  its  persistent  and  aggressive  rhizomes  or  under- 
ground stems. 

The  worst  weeds  in  old  or  permanent  meadows  were  said  to 
be: 

1.  Sensitive    fern 
Ox-eye  daisy 

2.  Tall  buttercup 

3.  Quack  grass  or  witch  grass 

4.  Wild   carrot 

5.  Sheep  sorrel 

6.  Goldenrods. 


8. 

Smartweed 

17 

9. 

Green    foxtail 

16 

Curled   dock 

15 

Canada  thistle 

17 

10. 

Yellow  foxtail 

15 

11. 

Purslane 

14 

12. 

Bitter  dock 

12 

Barnyard  grass 

12 

58 

7. 

Orange  hawkweed    (paint- 

58 

brush) 

21 

41 

8. 

Common  plantain 

20 

32 

9. 

Common  milkweed 

18 

31 

10. 

Curled  dock 

15 

27 

11. 

Canada  thistle 

14 

22 

]2. 

Wild  oat  grass 

12 

238  BuixETiN  146 

Nine  out  of  the  thirteen  worst  weeds  in  meadows  were  rep- 
resented in  the  grass  and  clover  seed  samples.  A  list  of  the  worst 
pasture  weeds  shows  only  2  out  of  16  weeds  whose  seeds  have 
been  found  in  grass  and  clover  seeds  examined,  these  being  the 
Canada  and  the  bull  thistles,  the  former  appearing  in  the  worst 
weed  lists  of  both  the  tilled  areas  and  the  meadows. 

It  would  appear  that  commercial  seed  is  an  important  factor 
as  a  carrier  of  weeds  to  cultivated  areas  and  that  its  relation  to 
the  weed  seed  content  of  permanent  meadows  is  at  least  a  meas- 
urable factor. 

VERMONT'S    WORST    WEEDS    IN     1872,    189I,    AND    1898,    COMPARED 
WITH  THOSE  OE  I909 

A  Vermont  weed  list,  doubtless  the  earliest  made,  was  sub- 
mitted in  18I72  by  Dr.  Cyrus  G.  Pringle,  now  keeper  of  the  uni- 
versity herbarium.  This  contained  129  species,  70  of  which  were 
held  to  be  introduced  from  the  old  country.  Most  of  the  aggres- 
sive and  prolific  weeds  of  that  day  were  included.  During  the  last 
forty  years  the  numbers  of  weeds  and  of  weed  species  have  doubt- 
less increased,  owing  to  new  channels  of  introduction,  with  western 
clover  seed  not  the  least  important  one.  Prior  to  the  civil  war 
Vermont  farmers  raised  their  own  clover  seed.  This  practise 
had  ceased,  however,  by  the  middle  eighties.  In  1886,  Vermont 
grown  clover  seed  was  sold  at  $15  a  bushel  in  competition  with 
western  seed  at  half  that  price.  Economic  considerations  have 
forced  a  change  in  practise  which  has  opened  the  door  to  the  in- 
flux of  western  weeds. 

The  Station  made  surveys  of  the  weed  situation  in  Vermont 
in  1891  and  1898.  Forty  replies  to  a  circular  letter  touching  this 
matter  were  received  in  189 1  and  about  200  in  1898.  The  follow- 
ing weeds  appear  in  each  list  of  the  ten  or  a  dozen  worst  weeds 
as  reported  in  1891,  1898,  and  1909:  Witch  grass,  white  daisy, 
kale,  orange  hawkweed,  plantains,  wild  carrot,  docks.  The  fol- 
lowing occur  in  two  of  the  three  lists:     Brakes,  Canada  thistle, 


Grass  and  Clover  Seed  Trade  in  Vermont  239 

goldenrod,   rag^weed,   sorrel.     The   entire   twelve   appear   in   the 
Pring-le  list  of  1872. 

That  these  weeds  are  pestiferous  is  well  understood.  Of 
more  importance  is  the  relationship  of  the  new  comers.  The 
bulk  of  the  weed  seed  contents  of  commercial  seeds  consists  of 
well  established  sorts,  yet  such  commercial  seed  is  the  natural 
channel  for  the  introduction  of  those  less  well  known.  Only  one 
weed  is  entered  in  the  1891  list  of  ten  worst  weeds,  and  but  two 
in  that  of  1898  of  the  dozen  worst  weeds,  which  did  not  appear 
in  the  list  previously  made  by  Dr.  Pringle,  or  reported  in  this  bul- 
letin. But  among  the  16  worst  tillage  weeds  reported  in  1909 
appear  no  less  than  nine  which  are  not  found  in  the  lists  of  1891 
and  1898 ;  three  of  which  moreover  are  not  even  mentioned  in  the 
long  list  of  28  other  weeds  reported  in  1898  as  less  troublesome 
than  the  initial  12  of  ill  repute.  Three  of  this  year's  meadow  list 
also  have  not  been  hitherto  looked  upon  as  serious.  While  it  is 
freely  admitted  that  the  present  list  is  less  representative  than 
are  the  previous  ones,  because  of  the  small  number  of  farmers 
reporting,  the  proportion  of  species  not  hitherto  considered  to  be 
a  menace  is  significant.  In  short,  it  is  clear  that  new  weeds  are 
rapidly  swelling  the  already  long  list  of  these  pests,  that  they  are 
becoming  prominent  candidates  for  mention  among  the  most 
troublesome  invaders  of  meadows  and  tillage  fields,  and  that 
the  commercial  seeds  and  feeds  are  their  main  methods  of  inlet. 

THE   ::nwER   WEED   INVADERS 

A  few  specific  cases  may  be  cited. 

Rib  grass  or  lance-leafed  plantain  was  mentioned  in  the  1872 
list  as  "appearing  occasionally  in  dry  fields."  It  was  ranked  sixth 
among  the  troublesome  weeds  in  1891,  and  was  noted  in  the  very 
complete  survey  of  1898  as  among  the  ten  worst  weeds  and  as 
"becoming  frequent  in  the  hay  fields,  being  introduced  in  clover 
seed."  This  particular  seed  occurred  in  two-thirds  of  the  red 
and  one-sixth  of  the  alsike  clover  samples  in  the  present  survey, 
and  in  a  few  timothy  and  red  top  samples. 


240  Bulletin    146 

The  1872  list  of  129  weeds  did  not  mention  yellow  daisy  or 
black-eyed  Susan.  In  1891,  it  stood  twentieth  in  a  list  of  40  weeds 
reported  from  many  sections  of  the  state.  It  ranked  eighth  in 
1898,  although  "doubtless  reported  more  often  that  it  deserved 
to  be,  owing  to  its  conspicuousness  in  hay  fields  and  its  evident 
relationship  to  the  old  offender,  the  white  daisy.  It  is  a  western 
plant  introduced  with  western  seeds."  Its  seeds  were  found  in 
one-sixth  of  the  timothy  samples  and  in  one  red  top  sample  in 
the  present  survey,  but  in  none  of  the  clover  samples,  although 
apparently  sometimes  found  therein. 

Crab  grass  was  found  in  one-fourth  of  the  red  clover  samples 
and  five  finger  in  one-fourth  each  of  the  timothy  and  alsike  clover 
samples  and  in  two  out  of  five  red  tops.  It  appears  to  be  intro- 
duced in  grass  seed.  Crab  grass  ranked  low  among  the  long  lists 
of  1891  and  1898,  and  the  five  finger  in  that  of  1898. 

Yellow  trefoil  is  well  understood  to  be  an  adulterant  of  red 
and  alsike  clover  and  of  alfalfa  seed,  being  imported  from  Europe 
principally  for  this  purpose.  It  was  found  in  one-fifth  of  the  red 
and  in  two-fifths  of  the  alsike  clover  samples.  It  has  not  yet 
been  reported  as  a  troublesome  weed,  being  itself  not  objection- 
able in  meadows  and  pastures,  save  that  it  usurps  the  place  of  the 
better  clovers. 

Among  the  weeds  not  found  in  this  survey,  but  becoming 
more  common  and  troublesome,  the  seeds  of  which  are  thus  in- 
troduced into  Vermont,  may  be  mentioned : 

Clover  dodder  (Cuscuta  epithymum)  first  reported  in  Ver- 
mont in  1900;  blue  weed  (Bchinum  milgare)  ;  prickly  lettuce 
(Lactuca  scariola)  ;  hoary  alyssum  (Bcrteroa  incana)  1895; 
tumble  mustard  {Sisymbrium  altissimum)  1900;  squirrel  tail 
grass  (Hordcum  jubatiim)  ;  wormseed  mustard  (Brysinum 
chciranthoides)   and    (Petstemion  laczngatus). 

The  first  five  are  most  to  be  feared.  Ball  mustard  (Neslia 
paniculata),  particularly  abundant  and  troublesome  in  the 
mid-western  and  Canadian  grain  fields,  has  not  as  yet  been  intro- 
duced but  is  likely  any  day  to  appear  in  western  grain  and  com- 
mercial seed.  ( 

38^6    :  '>? 


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